Royals
by honkytonkywoman
Summary: "He winked at her, all sexy Mick Jagger like, before he turned the corner with his friend. And she felt like she could have melted right then and there. John Bender was trouble. And she was into so much trouble."
1. Chapter 1

**AN- This is my first fic I've ever actually written, so cue all those pesky nerves, but I would absolutely love reviews of any kind. Construction criticism is _always_ welcome and appreciated. **

**Disclaimer - Although I dream it to be true. All rights are John Hughes. No money is made from this. **

Absently, Claire thumbed her earlobe; the pads of her fingers running along the bare flesh where her Grandmother's earrings once resided. The consequences would be disastrous if her mother knew the truth of its newest owner, and she dreaded such knowledge ever passing a breath near the woman. Instead the two girls could stay blissful in their ignorance - Vivian in her haze of expensive perfume and fourth burgundy glass of Pinot Noir; and Claire in her resolute denial that John would pawn the earring. Would it be worth anything to a pawnbroker without its sister? She didn't know, and dared not to find out by asking.

_John Bender_.

At face value, the man was good-looking. Tanned skin and piercing eyes, she found if she stared for too long she would begin to unravel. She would squirm under that stare. She would regret every single frivolity she had ever taken pleasure in under that stare and he had yet to blink. She would feel like a very silly little girl, and simultaneously an experienced woman, but by now this was past face value. Everyone knew who Bender was. And the girls in her group couldn't deny he was physically pleasing but that was as far as it went regarding attraction. He was, for all intents and purposes, scary. A loose cannon - unpredictable in his moves and unfathomable in his thoughts. Humanity feared what they didn't understand and that was John Bender.

She should fear him too, and a small part of her did, Claire supposed, but there was something so inexplicably fresh about his brutal honesty. He didn't care about her wealth or her status. He didn't pretend to be anything but himself to get her to like him. And yet, despite everything, she had anyway. In the eight hours she grew to know John Bender, Claire had developed a genuine liking to this loud, crude, asshole of a man. _Figures._

This had been her Sunday. A whole _free _day spent worrying, and fretting, and swooning over a guy she wasn't even sure actually liked her or was just playing her. It would be a kick, she thought, to him and his friends that the prom queen had fallen for _Bender_. The never-been-touched-by-a-guy-before Richie rich Claire Standish with her manicured nails and gold star report-in-being-a-tease-despite-not-knowing was _crushing _on John Burnout Bender and getting flustered for his hands. It would be shits and giggles for the whole fucking school and yet here she was fingering her earlobe and daydreaming of dark eyes and rude words.

Alone in her room with only her thoughts for companionship, Claire scrutinized everything. She had an English paper that was due on the Thursday but every time she completed any small progress the redhead would remember something about Saturday, about John and spend the next half an hour analysing it.

This boy was both intriguing and frightening at the same time. As much as she had genuinely liked him, she still didn't know that much about him. And she wanted too - which was the frightening thing. This man could ultimately ruin her. It wasn't like she didn't know what he was like, he had told her outright that he wasn't a one guy one girl kind of person, so what did she think could come about if anything came about anyway? That he would suddenly drop everything he knew and go steady with her? Take her out and worship the ground she stood on? Join the wrestling team with Andy and become a grade A citizen?

_No._

She didn't want to change him, she didn't think she was going to save him from his bad boy ways he was no damsel in distress. It was why she had never had a steady boyfriend before. Her standards weren't necessarily _high_; they were just different to the boys that she knew. John had his own values and beliefs that weren't influenced by anyone he didn't want too. He didn't care about what people thought of him, and he definitely didn't take anyone's bullshit. He didn't care about high school. He didn't care about people's expectations of him. He was John Bender, no questions asked, no explanations needed. She was so jealous.

* * *

Her thoughts didn't improve much come Monday morning. How was she going to play this? Leaning on the small hope that he wasn't playing her, what was her game plan? She wouldn't ignore him he was right when he said she couldn't but she wasn't about to go down under the bleachers to chop and let him cop a feel either. She would act normal, _casual_, like nothing bothered her. If she was Queen of this school then she was about to fucking act like it.

The redhead walked through the corridors of Shermer High. Samantha Mack, known best friend of Claire's and co-leader on the student council, walked beside her. They glided through, taking their turns around the hallways to greet their friends, flirt with the boys from the football team and catch Claire up with what happened over the weekend. Sam informed her, as if it were the most important thing in the world that Ashley Mare had hooked up the Matthew Winningham at Stubby's party, and Sarah Blake had worn the shortest skirt known to man that she had bet it was actually a belt instead.

Claire nodded. "Least she has the legs to pull it off," she replied indifferently, which earned her a groan from the girl next to her, knowing that _that's_ what pissed her off more than the skirt itself.

"I _know_. But, like, if I can't pull a skirt like that off than no one else should be allowed too. Life is just so unfair."

Samantha wasn't a bad person. In fact her words were said with the undertone of jest more than anything. Despite the girl being jealous of Sarah's legs, she hadn't technically said anything _bad. _She was joking. She was being purposely over-dramatic and using humour to hide behind her insecurities. Claire knew this, because this was a common social dynamic with all girls her age. But her last few words struck a nerve. _Unfair. _Unfair was going home to have your father burn his cigar into your skin. Unfair was having a principal who got off on locking you up and talking you down. Claire stayed quiet, suddenly feeling sick in her stomach. Unfair wasn't Samantha's life.

"So, how was detention?" her head snapped up, green eyes searching for any kind of knowledge expressed by her best friend, coming up blank. She tried to shrug it off, "It didn't turn out too bad, y'know. Andy was there, so I had someone I knew. And we, uh, like, made friends with the other people in," Casual. That's what she was doing, _Queen Casual._

"Oh, is that where Andy met that girl? Jessica's gonna be _so _pissed when she sees," eyes sought out what where Samantha was looking. "She swore he was about to ask her out."

Without a doubt there stood Allison and Andy, his patch sewed on the ratty bag that she was hell-bent on carrying around. Andy looked like Christmas had come all at once. How was he so…_casual_? Everyone was staring. Girls all around them narrowed their eyes at the strange girl smiling at Andy. _Who was she? Why is she with him? How did they meet?_ _Why her? What the fuck is on her face?_

Claire took a big breath in. Samantha was her best friend. They had grown up together. She had faith in her. They walked closer to the new couple. "That's Allison. She's actually pretty cool. Weird as _fuck_, but definitely cool to hang with," she shrugged and examined one of her nails as if her heart wasn't beating a bit faster than it usually was. How _pathetic _was she? She couldn't even tell her best friend that Allison was cool enough to hang around without having a mild panic attack.

She smiled, and greeted Allison. "This is my best friend Sam," Claire introduced, "She's on the student council with me," Samantha waved, a little hesitant and perhaps slightly intimidated by Allison's impassive expression. The girl didn't blink.

Claire rolled her eyes, and nudged her, "Stop tryna freak everyone out."

Allison nudged back harder, "This is just my face, Claire, whatcha tryna say?" but she eventually grinned. Claire poked out her tongue girlishly, Samantha laughed. Everyone seemed _casual_.

"Have you seen Bender yet?" Uh oh. Her chest constricted at the name as she looked at Andy in panic. _Casual, casual, casual._

She shook her head shyly, looking down at her shoes. Was he going to tell everyone what had happened? Just because he was ready didn't mean Claire was. It was totally different bringing a _girl _into your group when you were a _guy_- especially one that had so much to offer to the school. You had more power over your peers when you were a boy. That testimonial proved itself a hundred times over with the fact Allison was standing right there next to him _holding hands. _Sure people were going to talk, and question and probably bitch about them, but Andy would still keep the same status he's always had.

The amount of shit that would hit the fan if Claire suddenly walked up to John Bender and held _his hand _was exponential. Not because she was more popular than Andy but because she was a _girl_. The entire dynamic changed. She didn't like it, and it was the biggest fucking double standard there was, but it was true.

"Bender? As in _Bender _Bender?" Samantha's voice rose with shock, already implementing Claire's fears in social science. She was pretty sure his first name wasn't common knowledge. The redhead nodded, it seems that's all she could do today. "Yeah, he was in detention with us too." Or _they _were in detention with _him, _would be more accurate. Claire kept up her fascination with her shoes.

Samantha was sceptical. Not without good reasons though. It was one thing being Allison's friend, but the girl didn't have a reputation that scared the shit out of everybody. Well, not in the-I'll-fucking-pummel-you way Bender's was. She, without a doubt, thought Allison could probably hold her own against these girls any day.

No, if anything came about anything, she would have to ease into it. Not just for her own sake, but it seemed the rest of the school too. She finally glanced up to find Allison giving her a strange look. Didn't she realise? Claire had nearly gone into an anxiety attack introducing her to _Samantha_. She couldn't imagine the response she would get trying to explain she had not only snuck into a broom closet with John but let him touch her mouth with _his_ mouth and then gave him an earring worth God knows how much.

"_You_ made friends with Bender?" Samantha voice asked, incredulity lacing its tone.

She met her eyes, feigning confidence because one ounce of fear and the world would pummel you. "Yeah," she laughed it off flippantly, having time to regain her composure, "He's actually, you know, like, pretty cool too once you get to know him." She shrugged again, acting casual. _And she definitely got to know his mouth..._

"Wow, this must have been one hell of a detention – I'm kind of jealous," Samantha's replied, laughing, "You'll have to introduce me to him one day." Claire frowned at this. What? Why? Did she like him or something? Would he like her over Claire?

"You want to meet Bender?"

"Yeah, sure, why not, I always thought he was kind of hot."

Allison stifled a laugh at the sudden expression on Claire's face. Andy was badly retaining his grin too. Just moments before she had gotten all flustered at his name, and now she looked like she was ready to punch out her best friend for wanting to meet him. This girl had it _bad._

The bell rang, unfortunately interrupting the showdown everyone but Allison and Andy were oblivious of. The girls waved goodbye while still arguing over John Bender, and walking to their next class.

"Why? Don't you think he's attractive?" pushed Sam. She had seen the look on Claire's face, and she had been her best friend for eight years too.

"Yes, of course," she replied without fail, before hesitating, "I mean, y'know, he's alright – kind of got that Mick Jagger look about him if you think about. Oh! Did you hear? They're supposed to be bringing out a new album soon!"

It wasn't hard from then on to distract Sam from the thoughts of John Bender. The Stones were something you definitely had to squeal about. And they quickly met up with their other friends, all gossiping and wanting to know who Allison was – but Sam, thankfully not bringing up John Bender again. She knew there was a reason why she was her best friend.

* * *

Between classes, Claire found herself uncharacteristically alone. Not a very common thing when you had friends in _all_ your classes, and moreover when you had so many friends wanting to go with you – it was an unspoken rule, really. But Simone hadn't been in her Fashion Studies class today, and Samantha had Gym on the other side of the school, and Claire really just took her time suddenly grateful for the solitude. She walked up to her locker – there had still been no sign of Bender, and the redhead wasn't sure if she should be relieved or disappointed. She'd walk the hallways between her classes scanning the students pretending that it wasn't him she was looking for. Lying to herself that the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach was maybe just indigestion not butterflies, not tightening of knots, not worry or excitement laced into one. And it had gotten to the point now where she was just wanting to get it over and done with. If she saw him, and he didn't acknowledge her – well at least she could get over it simple enough and no one would know. Whatever, she wouldn't car-

She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She was bending over her locker, getting her books out for the next class, but suddenly she felt static. Those knots beginning to tighten, and closing her locker, Claire looked up.

_John Bender_.

Her heart felt like it was beating so loud the entire school would be able to hear it. The corridor wasn't empty. Students scattered everywhere, laughing, rushing, groaning about an upcoming exam, but there he was. Long coat trailing around his ankles as he moved through the crowds – well, they moved for _him_ – with some guy just as tall walking next to him, cigarette in his ear, no doubt heading towards the parking lot. John stared at her, and she leaned against her locker while she stared back, pale skin flushing red faithfully clashing with her hair. She couldn't keep the coy smile from reaching her lips though, clutching her books to her chest shyly. He flicked his hair out of his face, smirking right back at her like he had just been caught checking her ass out when she was bent over in her locker. The thought of that flustered her even more, and almost like her could read her thoughts, his smirk widened to a leer.

He winked at her, all fucking sexy Mick Jagger like, before he turned the corner with his friend. And she felt like she could have melted right then and there.

John Bender was trouble.

And she was into so much _trouble._


	2. Chapter 2

**AN - okaaaaaay, so I missed the 30th anniversary to the breakfast club only by a few days! But, happy anniversary? I want to thank the people who have been reviewing, I don't know how much you know, but it's definitely a big boost to the confidence, especially a first timer who has _no idea_ what she's doing. ;) I appreciate the people who read it, period, to be honest. **

**At the moment, I'm just trying to get a feel for these characters, writing them, how I want them to develop - basically I'm playing this by ear, so please bear with me. Again, reviews make me a better writer and I always welcome constructive criticism, so if you have any suggestions don't be afraid.**

**Disclaimer - I own nothingggg.**

* * *

It wasn't until Thursday that she saw John again. Between Student Council, her English paper and everything else that consumed a seventeen year old girl's time and energy, there wasn't really much of it left to do anything else.

To be fair on herself though, it wasn't like he had sought her out either. And _her_ whereabouts was always known. In fact she didn't even know if he had been at school, period.

She used that possibility to ease her thoughts...but then it didn't ease anything when she thought of all the reasons he _wouldn't_ be at school. Was he okay? Was he hurt? She bit her nails impatiently as she fretted.

Most of her thoughts were consumed by him in the days she hadn't seen him, and someone was always pulling her out of them. At one point, Samantha asked her what she was daydreaming about all the time – to which Claire had blushed profusely and shook her head, blaming it on lack of sleep from the night before. It was becoming a problem. And Samantha hadn't looked convinced.

She'd seen the back of his head at lunch time, and it was all that she needed to send her body into a fucking circus trick again. She was beginning to wonder if there was something wrong with her. Did other people ever act like this? It wasn't like she could ask any of her friends, certainly not her parents, definitely not John.

Once the bell rang to signal school had finished, Claire decided quickly and easily that driving home, diving into bed, and not coming up again until she got her shit together was the best idea she would ever have.

This boy had winked at her for crying out loud. That's all it had taken for her to get flustered. To blush, and think of all the naughty things a virgin could think of, which only made her blush all over again. She needed to get a grip. Her body needed to get a grip. It was like a magnetic pull. Was there something actually wrong with her?

"I didn't know you were a Stones' fan, Princess?" came a husky voice from behind her.

She was late walking out into the car park, having had to talk to a supervisor about the prom committee members, the place was pretty much deserted by the time she reached her car. She couldn't deny this fact relieved her.

John took a drag of his cigarette lazily, breathing it out into the air before flicking the butt away.

"Wot?"

"I overheard you were into Mick Jagger," he snickered.

"You'd be surprised at what I'm into."

"Sex, drugs and Rock 'N' Roll then?"

Her traitor body blushed at his words. John laughed.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just like the music..."

He gave her a pointed look. This was No Bullshit Bender she was talking too.

Still, a girl had to have her pride.

"Yeah, whatever. S'not all I heard you liked about good 'ole Mick."

"How do you even know I like The Stones anywa-" She stopped her sentence, narrowing her eyes as she looked at him.

It dawned on her then he must have heard her conversation with Samantha, or at least about it. Was that what Allison and Andy were laughing about? How had she not noticed him? Or had Allison told him? Or had Samantha actually gone around telling people what she had said when Claire wasn't around? She couldn't have, the girl had agreed with her.

He laughed harder this time while she became redder.

"Well, uh, I mean, y'know, with the hair and the smile..." She eventually just groaned into her hands, embarrassed he had caught her.

"The smile, huh? You like my smile? What else do you like, Cherry?" He leaned closer, one eyebrow raised challenging.

"Stop! I can't believe you were eavesdropping on me. What else have you heard?" her face dropped as she quickly thought back to any other compromising words she might have said.

"Why? What else have you been saying about me, hmm? All naughty things I hope."

"In your dreams."

"How did you know, Cherry? Have you been dreaming the same ones too?'

"No!" but the word came out to quickly, too defensively. She bit her lip. "Of course not, I wouldn't."

"Uh-oh! What do we have here? Does the virgin queen have not so _virgin _thoughts about the stable boy?" he asked suggestively, backing her into the door of her car. Her heart fluttered – he smelled so... so _John._ Cigarettes and musky pine. Jesus Christ, could he get anymore attractive? She bit her lip again, eyes flickering between his stare and his mouth as if she were unable to help herself – which really, she wasn't.

"I think someone's lying. What's in those dream's, huh Princess? You know, I can make dreams come true..." His face was inches away from hers.

"Where were you this week?"

"Why? Did you miss me?" He laughed, "Miss me enough to have dirty dreams about me...?"

"No. Yes. I mean, y'know I just like, noticed you weren't around and stuff. Wondered why things seemed so quiet." She was rambling. A bad habit Claire had when she was nervous, and with his mouth so close to hers, she was hell fucking nervous.

She became momentarily distracted by something that caught on the sun. To the left of her, eyes flickering to what it had been when suddenly her mouth pulled into a toothy smile. Claire giggled.

Her hand went up to the side of his face, and when their skin had touched it was like electricity, all hot and buzzing like currents beneath the surface of their flesh. John never took his eyes off her as she ran her hand over, pushing back his hair to reveal the diamond earring that pierced his lobe.

She looked so damn fucking happy at the sight of it. All red curly hair blowing in the breeze while nimble fingers smoothed over it as if he had passed some unspoken test.

Claire's gaze danced back to his, her hand still not moved from the side of his head, and his slowly moving to the side of hers. She heard more than felt the quick intake of breath at his touch. This man had such power over her body, it was beginning to worry her.

"You kept it. I'm glad you kept it. I'm really really really gla-"

She didn't get a chance to finish her rambling this time either. She spoke too much for his liking.

On a Friday afternoon, in the middle of March, 1984, John Bender kissed her for the second time

Claire could officially say this kiss was better than her first one. His lips were warm against hers. They were surprisingly soft too. Warm and soft as they caressed her own, teeth grazing across her bottom lip, the redhead sighed into him. One of his hands wrapped around her waist, holding him to her tightly, the other tangled in her hair at the back of her head. He tasted like the cigarette he had just thrown away. She tasted sweet, almost fruit like. You could almost say, cherry like.

He was gentle with her which she was grateful for because she was beginning to tremble at his touch. She was _cherry_ to all of this, and it made her nervous and excited, and more than anything _wanting more. _Claire opened her mouth slightly, eyes closed, back pushed up against the car and waist pulled up against his own, John reached his tongue out to touch against her bottom lip first, but her hand came to the back of his head almost impatiently, and she felt more pressure this time. She let him into her mouth, meeting his tongue with her own somewhat shyly at first. He stroked it tentatively, and she made a quiet noise into his mouth.

That made him grin.

"I knew you missed me."

She could only giggle in reply.

"Maybe, y'know, a little..." she blushed, he placed his forehead atop of hers, glancing at her mouth, her lips all plump from the sudden use, made him only wanting to do it again. She had such perfect lips. Oh god how perfect would they be wrapped around his-

"I've been dreaming about that." She finally said. His eyes glanced from her lips to her stare in surprise at first, before realising what she meant. Haha, _damn – _he _had_ been dreaming about that.

John chuckled quietly to himself. She was so _pure_, so innocent in every way that he couldn't help but be completely turned on by it. It was endearing to be around someone who was so _cherry_. She had dreamed about _this_, and if truth be told, he had too, but they usually led to such more... _intense_ activities.

He felt her shiver under him, he noticed the goosebumps crawling up her flesh. Around the curve of her neck, he wondered what it would be like to taste that part of her.

"This your hotrod, Princess?" It was a different car to the one that picked her up on Saturday.

"Nah, it's my mum's. But she's out on a business trip." Supposedly. Her father was still home but since there was no one to fight with over her, she didn't play high on his priorities. Still, he let her drive the car.

"Did you... want a ride somewhere?" As much as she was enjoying this, Claire was beginning to shiver, her brown leather jacket only doing so much to block out the wind.

"Nah, Princess. If you were offering to ride _me_ though, I'd definitely take you up on _it_."

She shoved him away, hard. "You're a pig, John Bender!" she replied, tone not quite getting the amount of bite she would have preferred, too affected by his words.

"And you're one hell of a tease, Cherry."

She scoffed, opened her car door. "Only if it get's you hot, right?"

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "If you only knew," he replied gruffly.

She blushed.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" Claire asked quickly after a moments thought. He never did tell her where he had been. She frowned.

"Yeah, Princess. So don't worry your little crown too much."

"I wasn't worrying," she stuttered back. Bender rose an eyebrow in question. "I was just thinking that you would probably get more detentions, if you were caught... y'know, ditching. Or whatever. It would go into the summer and stuff..."

"You are such a bad liar."

"I'm not lying! It would!"

"Mhmm, I wasn't ditching. I was here."

That stopped her. "Oh." She bit her bottom lip. She _had _looked around for him though. Not, hop down to the bleachers, or behind the car park look for him. But, well, she had _wanted_ to see more of him. She didn't even know where he hung out anyway. Had he been actively avoiding her? His words from Saturday echoed through her memories - _As for you and me walking down the halls? Forget it! It's never going to happen_. Though hadn't she said the same thing. Jesus Christ, what was she playing at?

"I didn't see you."

"Are you pouting?"

"No, I'm not. Whatever. I'm glad you're not going to get any more detentions."

She wasn't going to be needy. She wasn't going to try to change him. That was one of the first things she had decided on. And he had waited for her now hadn't he? And even if he hadn't, he still had come up to her. Had _kissed _her the way he had. He still wore her diamond earring.

He was looking at her like she was halfway to crazy. Claire smiled genuinely. "I'm being silly, don't worry about it. I _will_ see you tomorrow though."

He leaned in. "It's okay if you missed me, Princess."

Claire laughed in his face, even if his words were true, kissed his lips quickly and teasingly, and hopped into her car.

She drove off, laughing.

* * *

It was late night at the mall. Claire, Samantha, and the two other girls in their group, Jessica, and Ashley were making their turns around the stores.

She wondered what had changed. A week ago she wouldn't have thought twice about spending her father's money. It was the least he could do for her really and Claire never actually asked for it. They just got into a habit of her coming home, and him slipping money into her purse. Or her mother asking Claire to tick off what she liked in the new Vogue magazine, and getting it mailed to the door. She was so used to getting everything she wanted without asking for it, that she never actually wanted for anything.

And though she still didn't care all too much about the expenses her father paid for, there was something different about shopping this time. About being around girls that were her _friends_ since junior high. About the topics and issues that raided their everyday lives.

"You haven't bought _anything_ tonight Claire, is something wrong?" Jessica asked her, rearranging some of the bags that littered her arms.

Claire shook her head, inspecting at her nails instead of her friend. "I'm fine. There's just nothing around that catches my eye."

The three girls gave Claire an odd look.

"They haven't brought out anything new, I mean. I got most of this when I skipped school last week."

They nodded with understanding then, accepting her answer.

"Oh, yeah," started Jessica, "I still can't believe you got a Saturday detention for that. How come your dad couldn't get you out of it anyway?"

Claire shrugged. "Because I had too many absences. They wouldn't let me get out of it again." She made a face, "I just really hate having to go to math."

Math was her worst subject. She just didn't understand it, regardless of her effort, and she couldn't stand the fact that her teacher made her feel so specifically stupid when she didn't understand. Honestly, Claire failed to see what point there was in trying anymore.

"I mean, it's boring you know." She covered.

"Mhm, totally. Plus Mrs Gale's voice is such a drone," Ashley laughed. Claire nodded.

"Still Saturday detention is harsh – to have to spend all that time with those _freaks."_

Claire frowned, did Jessica know who she spent Saturday with?

"Well, Andy was there so it wasn't so bad." How many times had she repeated that line?

"Yeah, but that's where he met _her_ isn't it? Sam said she was weird as fuck. I can't actually believe he started hanging out with her, when he could have had me. And to think I thought he was actually interested – I guess I should consider myself lucky..." There was venom in Jessica's voice that caught Claire off guard.

She gave a weird look to Sam, who simply shrugged. They were the exact words that she had used but it was different when Claire said them. It was _okay _when Claire said them because it was a part of Allison that she liked, and besides which, Allison knew that Claire thought that.

"You've met her Claire – what do you think? I wonder if she put some kind of voodoo witch spell on Andy." Everyone laughed. Claire smiled weakly.

"She was okay. I mean she is weird, but that's just kind of her, I guess. Like if Andy's happy, what's the problem, right?"

She swore Jessica almost snarled, but she recovered quickly. "I didn't even _know_ her until this week. _Andy_ definitely didn't. He's probably just playing her." She laughed, making Claire uncomfortable, "He'll show her. Whose she to think Andy would just drop everything he knows to be with her?" Ashley laughed with her now.

"Did you see what she was wearing today? She had two different coloured socks on," Ashley's voice dropped down to a whisper, "and I'm pretty sure they were _men's._" The two girls broke into giggles again.

By now, Claire was starting to feel physically ill. Was this the way she spoke about people? Had she not cared about anyone to such a depth that this was the result?

"Would it be so bad if Andy genuinely liked her?" she asked quietly.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Claire? Are you like this girl's new best friend or something? What did you guys do on Saturday?"

Claire frowned. When it came to hierarchy, Jessica wasn't as popular as Claire. She was a follower – a sheep – that did what everyone else told her too without a second thought. It was how she got into their group in the first place. She was a backup – a sure thing, but she had always been snide with Claire. Always fuelled by her jealousy.

And if she thought she could put Claire back into her place, she had a whole other thing coming.

"We didn't do _anything. _I'm just saying if Andy chose _Allison_ over you_,_ I think that says more about _you_ than it does about Allison. So just cut it out."

No one spoke. Claire didn't back down. This is what happened when you messed with the Queen Bitch. Be careful what you wish for.

She smiled sweetly, "Come on. Lets go get some sushi. I haven't eaten all day."

* * *

She wasn't surprised that once they were alone Samantha didn't stay quiet for long. Claire started the car.

"Sooo... that was pretty harsh to Jess."

Claire scowled, "Because everything that ever comes out of her mouth is perfectly nice."

Samantha hesitated, like she thought any moment Claire would bring up her repeated words to Jessica.

"Is everything alright? You've been acting pretty strange since last Saturday. Like, you didn't buy _anything_ tonight, and you haven't really been all there this week either, and it's not like you to snap at Jess because she's upset about Andy."

"Those things don't mean anything Sam. I didn't buy anything because I don't _need_ anything at the moment. I've been distracted this week because my parent's have been fighting more than usual and my mother suddenly just up and left for this 'business trip', and I wasn't about to let Jessica walk all over me for reasons no one can control. She was being a _bitch, _you know, I know it – I'm not going to put up with it. She's only in our group because we liked Ashley. At least I _know_ Allison enough to make a judgement against her – that's more than I can say for anyone else." Her last words weren't meant to come out as such a bite against Sam, and she instantly regretted them.

She did like Allison – but she wasn't prepared to lose all her friends for her.

Samantha didn't say anything for a while, she looked guilty, which in turn made Claire feel guilty.

"I'm sorry, I just – y'know. I've been really stressed lately I guess."

"No, it's alright Claire. It makes more sense now. I'm sorry too. And Jessica _was_ being a bitch. It's pretty brave of you to call her up on it. You're right – you're totally right." Samantha smiled, which made her feel better.

The car parked right outside of her house.

"I thought all of this was about some _boy._" Samantha laughed flippantly.

Oh god, if only she knew. If that was their reaction to Allison.. Claire paled.

"Haha, nah – I didn't even go to Stubby's party. Plus there's no one in our group that really even interest's me." She scoffed.

"Yeah. I thought it was weird that you didn't tell me who!" she giggled again, one hand dismissive of the fact.

Claire smiled feebly, "Yeah, 'course Sammie, we have no secrets."

Samantha reached over and hugged her briefly. "I think Jonah's having a party Saturday night. Are you still grounded? You might even meet some men of _interesting _natures."

"Nah, I'm not. A party sounds good – you better not ditch me though."

Samantha laughed, long distracted from the contents of their night with the thoughts of upcoming social events - boys, parties, boys, alcohol, _boys_.


End file.
